Holding on to Stars
by sloanage
Summary: Not everyone wants to be a Pokémon master. Sometimes it comes about accidentally. Follow a male Green on his journey across Kanto to encounter all 151 Pokémon while dealing with the antics of female rivals Red and Blue. With these two around, will he ever reach his goal of becoming Kanto's greatest Pokémon researcher?
1. The Super Secret Mission

**The Super Secret Mission**

* * *

"Flamethrower!"

The young boy grimaced, eyes glued to the television, as a cloud of flames and smoke enveloped the Rapidash onscreen. It was a goner for sure, this time. He waited to hear the announcer declare the opposing Arcanine the winner, but when the air cleared, Rapidash was still standing, looking stronger than ever.

"What's this?" the announcer commented. "Looks like this Rapidash has got the Flash Fire ability!"

Narrowing his eyes, the boy muttered to himself, "Flash Fire?" He immediately pulled his laptop in front of him and began to look up the unknown ability. He'd recently began watching battles from the Pokémon League on TV to study different types and their effectiveness. Battling was never his strong suit, not that he'd ever tried it, but he figured if he was going to learn all he could about Pokémon, it would be a topic he'd have to look into eventually. It was actually pretty interesting, though there was so much to memorize, it was understandable how the Arcanine's trainer forgot about Rapidash's Flash Fire.

Suddenly, the room fell silent. The crowd had stopped cheering, the Pokémon had vanished, and the trainers gave no more orders. Someone had turned the TV off.

Whirling around to look behind the couch he occupied, the boy glared angrily at the bearer of the remote. "Mom!" he shouted. "I'm studying!"

"Study later," she said in an irritated tone. "It's your sixteenth birthday, Green, and you have yet to spend one minute of it with me. It's nearly time for dinner and all you've done is watch - what is this? The Magenta Tournament or -"

"The Pokémon League!" the boy, Green, whined. "Hosted at the _Indigo_ Plateau. Mom, it's only live once a year! I have to keep watching!"

Placing the TV's remote in her apron pocket, his mother responded, "Well, you'll just have to pick up with this tomorrow. Would you please come have dinner with me? I've made you a cake and everything."

Green groaned and closed his computer. He followed his mother down the hall and into the kitchen, where she had laid out a large plate of pasta and breadsticks. They both took their seats at their small dining table and began to eat, Green trying to finish as quickly as he could without his mother noticing. He wanted to get back to watching battles immediately.

"Slow down," his mother harped. "You'll hurt yourself."

He glared at her once more, wishing she would let him get back to his research, but he knew she was right. Green was usually a pretty obedient kid. He was always willing to help around the house and spend time with his mother, but whenever he was studying a new subject, he preferred to remain in his own little world. Swallowing his pride, he murmured, "Sorry mom."

About halfway through the meal, Green's mother set down her utensils and cleared her throat. "Alright Green, I'm sure you've been waiting all day for this." When her son stared at her with a confused expression, she rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Your present, I mean. I thought you would be at least a little excited about your birthday, you know."

"Oh. Right," he said. Honestly, he had almost forgotten about the significance of the day. If it wasn't for his mother's frequent reminders, his entire birthday would have slipped right by without him noticing. "What is it?" he continued. She handed him a small box and he opened the lid carefully. "Whoa." He admired the gift for a few moments, genuinely surprised. "A watch? Mom, where'd you get the money for this?"

As her son slipped the silver wristwatch over his left arm, she said, "I didn't have to pay for it. It was your father's. I figured now you're mature enough to keep from losing or breaking it, and I know how you cherish each hour of the day. Maybe this will help you to keep a more organized schedule." They both laughed, as it was well known that Green could get pretty hectic and easily lose track of time.

"Thanks, mom," he said, a smile finding its way onto his face. He stood to hug her when the doorbell rang. Seeing as he was already up, he told her, "I'll get it."

Green shuffled down the narrow hallway that led back to the living room and pulled open the front door, only to be greeted by a puff of confetti. He flinched, taking a step back as a familiar feminine voice chimed, "Happy birthday!"

When the handful of confetti had made its way to the ground, Green realized it was only his best friend, Red. She had never failed to miss one of his birthdays, and he should've anticipated her arrival. He was actually surprised she hadn't showed up sooner. He chuckled and mumbled his thanks, redness flushing across his cheeks. "Actually, I came over for another reason, too," she added. "It's Professor Oak. He wants to see us. Something about a favor or whatever. Around six, he said."

"Six? It's already -" Green glanced at his watch, which read '9:28.' "Uh, I should probably set this," he mumbled.

"Is that what your mom got you?" Red asked eagerly. "Gosh, let me see it! It looks expensive. How much was it?"

Green blushed again as she slid the watch off his wrist and examined it. "I'll tell you on the way over. We've gotta get going." He turned and called to his mother, "I'll be back, mom! I'm heading to the lab!"

* * *

Green and Red stood awkwardly in the strangely vacant Pokémon research center. They had visited enough times to let themselves in, but this time, there was no sign of Professor Oak, or his aides, whatsoever. It must have been well past six by this point, and Red was considering heading home.

"Where do you think he is?" she asked, and Green shrugged. He often studied with the professor, so he figured he might be on his way back from the Viridian Forest or somewhere.

A few more minutes passed before the front door slammed open. Footsteps approached the duo casually, and when the new arrival came into sight, they were disappointed to see that it wasn't the professor, but his granddaughter instead.

"What's this?" she said in an obnoxious tone. "Red? What do you think you're doing in my lab?" She took brief notice of Green and added, "Didn't anyone tell you? No pets allowed."

Seething with rage, Red stepped in front of an ashamed-looking Green and barked, "Knock it off, Blue. And this isn't _your_ lab. Your grandpa called us over, if you must know."

Scoffing, Blue boasted, "I'm sure he invited you two losers to watch me receive my new Pokémon. That's why I'm here. But don't worry, he probably won't give you guys any. Pokémon are only given to kids he deems _worthy_."

Blue took her place at the other side of Green as she and Red began to argue. Green remained silent. Anything he said would probably spark a round of insults from Blue. He usually let Red do all the fighting.

As they bickered, he couldn't help but notice the extreme difference in style between the three teenagers. They were all the same age, and yet they were so unique to one another. There was Blue, whose wardrobe reflected her I-don't-care personality. She had long, auburn hair and electric blue eyes that popped out of her tanned skin. She wore a pair of light jeans with a tear in the one knee and a tight, dark blue hoodie, unzipped over a white T-shirt with a V-shaped neckline. Dangling from her neck was the silver pendant she's had since she was a kid. Her wild, wavy hair was barely contained under her navy, beanie-style hat. The girl was attractive in a strange way. She was confident in how she looked and didn't have to dress nicely to prove that she was cute.

Then there was Red, whose apparel was the complete opposite. She was fiery and adventurous, as proven by her clothing choice. Her black hair was about the same length as Blue's, but much neater. Her bangs, which were swept to the side, were contained by her red headband. Her skin was light and she had simple, hazel eyes. She had always thought they were rather plain, but Green thought they proved she wasn't totally nuts. The rest of her appearance would say otherwise. She had on a pair of dark jeans which were ripped to shreds. Underneath, you could see bright red tights, and even those were slightly torn. Her pants were tucked into her dark combat boots, which were scuffed from years of use. She sported a black, button-up shirt, but instead of buttons, it had silver clasps. The collar peeked out over her unzipped, dark red windbreaker, the sleeves rolled up only a quarter of the way. Green couldn't help but notice she wore her simple ring which displayed a tiny ruby. She always had that ring on. Green assumed it held some sort of significance to her, but he couldn't figure out what it was exactly.

Then there was him. He felt awkward compared to the other two, even if his personal style wasn't terribly laughable. He wore a black collared shirt with a green and gray plaid design. It was unbuttoned at the top to reveal a plain gray T-shirt underneath. Over this all, he had on a dark green cardigan. He wore it because it was comfortable, not too concerned with how it looked. His dark jeans were plain and fell over his green, high-top sneakers. His pale skin was only clearly visible on his face and occasionally his arms when he rolled his sleeves up. His green eyes were hidden in the shadow of his messy brown hair. If it wasn't being kept tidy with a dark green bandana, his bangs would have reached the bridge of his nose. The only other sort of jewelry or accessory he didn't feel silly wearing was the watch he had just received from his mother.

Lost in thought about the different personalities of himself and the other sixteen-year-olds, Green didn't notice the middle-aged man come shuffling down the stairs of the laboratory. It wasn't until he cleared his throat - rather dramatically - that the teenagers turned their attention to him. Red and Blue stopped arguing and each shoved their hands in their pockets, now worked up from whatever the had been debating. Green exchanged a look with the professor and suppressed a chuckle. They both knew how heated the two girls could get sometimes.

"Welcome," Oak started, a friendly grin on his face. You could definitely see the resemblance between him and Blue. They had the same ambitious grin and wild hair. "And a happy birthday to you, Green." As he said this, Red reached over and placed a hand on her friend's shoulder, flashing a bright smile. Blue rolled her eyes.

"Get on with it, Gramps," she moaned. If she was excited about whatever he had to say, it didn't show.

"Settle down, Blue. I just got here after all." He said this with a chuckle. He adjusted his labcoat, looking like he was trying to keep something from falling out of his right pocket. "Now that Green has turned sixteen, I figured it was time for Pallet Town's three most capable teenagers to bring a bit of honor to this place. We haven't had a successful trainer for quite a while now, and I think it's about time to change that."

As he spoke, Red's eyes lit up with excitement. She had always craved adventure, and she could sense that now it was just around the corner. Blue, obviously having been informed about the situation beforehand, looked around aimlessly. Green, on the other hand, widened his eyes in shock. _Did he just call me capable?_ he wondered. Green had always thought he was nothing short of mediocre. He wasn't as outgoing as Red or Blue and would probably get lost at the first turn out of Pallet if he had ever been allowed to leave. He occasionally helped Oak with a bit of research, however. This must have been the only reason he was summoned along with Blue and Red. That was the only thing he'd ever done that was almost notable.

"I've got three Poké Balls here," Oak continued. "Each one containing a special kind of Pokémon. I want -"

"I knew it!" Blue interrupted, suddenly tuning into the discussion. She had obviously missed the part about Pallet producing _three_ extraordinary pupils, but neither Green nor Red said anything to inform her of this. Instead, Blue went on to brag, "See that, chumps? I told you he'd give me one. It's about time, too. Maybe I'll let you two carry my supplies around, if you're lucky." She turned away from the two, her eyes sparkling with determination. "This is it," she mumbled. "My own adventure. Finally!" At last, Oak bursted out laughing. Blue turned to him suddenly and demanded, "What is it, Gramps?"

"Blue," he said, trying to break the news to her as gently as possible. "I did say all _three_ of you would be given this opportunity. Green and Red will be accompanying you. No great trainer travels alone, after all."

Blue's face shifted from one of glee to one of horror. She'd have to stick around with these two losers? There was no way. She knew he had to be kidding. Red turned away so she could laugh at the girl's downfall while Green continued to think to himself. Professor Oak was really trusting him with his own Pokémon? Was this really happening?

"Fine!" Blue said, crossing her arms. "Whatever. Just give me my Pokémon."

Pulling the Poké Balls out of his pocket, Oak said, "Alright, alright. Here." He pressed the release buttons on each Poké Ball and set the inhabitants free. Bursts of red energy surged forward, materializing into three Pokémon Green had only seen on TV before. He knew each one was rarer than rare.

"This one's Bulbasaur," Oak informed. "The grass-type. This particular one's a bit shy, but I'm sure he'll be a great companion to one of you." The green Pokémon scuttled behind Professor Oak's leg, clearly unsettled by the group of teenagers. He looked down, refusing to make eye contact with any of them. Green figured he wouldn't stand a chance in a fight.

"And here we've got Charmander," the professor went on. "The fire-type. She's a feisty one, she is. Loves a challenge. She'll fight well for one of you. I have to warn you though, you've gotta keep an eye on her flame. The one on her tail. If that thing goes out, she'll be in huge trouble." Green studied the Charmander. She had her arms crossed defiantly and eyed each of the kids down, obviously scoping out which would be the worthiest. Green knew she'd be a huge responsibility, with her tail and everything, but he could probably take good care of her.

"And finally, this here's Squirtle," Oak finished, gesturing to the bored-looking turtle Pokémon. It blew bubbles slowly out of its mouth, waiting for each to pop before blowing another. "He's a little stubborn, but worth raising. A water-type, as you could probably tell."

Having explained each Pokémon, Oak concluded, "And that's all there is. Remember, no matter which you choose, you've got to love and protect your Pokémon with every ounce of power you've got. They're friends, after all. Not tools." Noticing the eager looks on each kid's face, the professor laughed heartily and said, "Go ahead."

Red was the first to claim a Pokémon. "I want this one!" she decided, taking the fire-type's Poké Ball from Oak. "What do you say, Charmander? Wanna be mine?" The Pokémon looked thrilled, as if Red was the trainer she had hoped would choose her. She nodded firmly and ran to the girl's leg, wrapping her small arms around it tightly. Red laughed. "She likes me already!"

"No fair!" Blue protested. "Why does she get to choose first?" She felt her rivalry with Red surfacing again, and determined to always get the better of her, stated, "Fine! I'll take this one." She snatched Squirtle's Poké Ball from her grandfather. "Let's see your wimpy Charmander stand up to this!" Squirtle looked mildly amused with his new companion, but maintained a bored expression.

Green looked at Bulbasaur cautiously. He was still hidden behind the professor and seemed to want nothing to do with the trainers. "Hey," he said gently, crouching down so they were on the same level. "It's okay, I won't hurt you. You wanna tag along with me? Please?" Bulbasaur said nothing, but looked up at Oak, as if asking for help.

"Go on, Bulbasaur. He's a good kid."

With that in mind, the little guy hesitantly shuffled out of its hiding place and approached Green, who had his hands outstretched. "It's okay," he repeated, and the Pokémon nuzzled his head against Green's hand, a small smile taking over his lips. "That's it!" Green laughed as Bulbasaur lightened up and bounced around, quickly warming up to his new friend.

"Pathetic," Blue commented. Everyone turned to look at the girl. Both she and her Squirtle had their arms crossed and were glaring at the others in the room. "That thing won't stand a chance against us, right Squirtle?" Squirtle nodded.

Bulbasaur took refuge behind Green, who stood up slowly. He wished he had the courage to defend his Pokémon, but the words wouldn't come to him. Thankfully, Red growled, "Leave it alone, Blue. It hasn't done anything to you."

"You think you're so tough?" Blue countered. "I'll take you on right now. Let's go!"

"Oh it is _so_ on! Let's get 'em, Charmander!"

The two Pokémon lept into position, ready to duke it out, when Professor Oak cried, "No! Not in the lab!" The kids turned to look at him. "I just cleaned. Take it outside, girls."

No one argued as trainer and Pokémon alike darted toward the front door, leaving Green and his Bulbasaur behind. They watched the others go before Green turned back to the professor.

"Here you go, Green," the man said warmly, handing him Bulbasaur's Poké Ball. "Don't lose that, now."

"Thanks, professor," Green said, fully prepared to head home, thinking they had discussed all they needed to. He turned to leave, but Oak stopped him.

"Wait!" he called. "I have one more task for you, Green." Confused, the boy said nothing, but instead stood before the professor, waiting to be given instructions. The man hastily rushed over to a package on a nearby table, snatching a strange, red device from it. He brought it back over to Green and handed it to him. "This is for you. It's a Pokédex."

Eyes narrowed, Green took the device. "A what?"

"A Pokédex! It's a researcher's most treasured tool! Well, it would be," Oak's voice faltered, "if there were more to go around." He perked back up when he told the new trainer, "This will keep a record of every Pokémon you encounter and send any information you gather right back here to my main system. It's like a mobile Pokémon encyclopedia!"

"Wow," Green admired, taking a sudden liking to the Pokédex. "Why do I have it?"

"Well, I've only got one right now. I couldn't give it to Blue. She'd break it in the first hour. And if I gave it to Red, my granddaughter would surely get jealous. But you," he eyed Green with a sense of admiration. "You're very mature for your age, Green. And I've seen how you work. I know you'll take good care of it and get me the most research possible. You just can't tell the others! I don't want them coming back here with pitchforks, now do I" He laughed once again.

"Of course not!" Green agreed. "I'll keep it a secret. But what am I supposed to do with it, exactly?"

"Simple. I can't leave the lab as often as I'd like. I've got to stay here and keep an eye on all that's going on. But you're young and determined. I need you to collect as much data as you can for me. Of course, to fully understand a Pokémon, you'd have to capture and study it, but I'll be content if you could just register each one out there using this. It's a huge start."

"I can do that!" Green exclaimed. It didn't sound like a terribly tasking job. He was sure he could get it done, and learn a little at that. He was always up for learning new things.

"Excellent!" Oak cheered. "If that's all settled, then, I've got a bit more to explain to you. Come with me, if you don't mind."

Green, now bursting with anticipation, followed the man further into the lab. He had a new job to accomplish. He had to get out there and learn about Pokémon for real, not just from the safety of his living room sofa. It was like he was on a super secret mission, something he couldn't explain to the other two. His head was buzzing. If it weren't for the very much real Bulbasaur trotting along at his feet, he would have thought it was all a dream.

* * *

**A/N:** Hi!

So this happens to be my first ever Pokémon fic! Well, first that I'm publishing, at least. As you could tell, these are NOT the usual characters, but instead, their reversed genders! I've also changed their stories and personalities a little, so they're totally (almost) new.

I've also edited a bit more, as you can tell. My trainers aren't ten, because let's be real, who would let their ten-year-old explore the country? I still wouldn't let my kid do that at sixteen, but at least that's a little more believable. There will certainly be a bit more edits as we go along, but I assure you, none of these are due to lack of knowledge. I've been in love with Pokémon since I could toddle. If anything is different, I most likely did it on purpose.

However, I'm not a robot. Everyone makes mistakes, and while I try to be as accurate as I can and make no grammatical errors, it will happen. So if you notice anything like that and would like to let me know, just review! I'll look it over for you. Even if you don't see anything like that, review anyway! I love reviews. They make you feel important. Sometimes I like to reply to you guys just to chat a bit, so if you randomly get a message from me, that's probably why.

And that's all I've got for now. Let me know what you think so far! Thanks for reading!

Until next time,

- Connor


	2. Smell Ya Later

**Smell Ya Later**

* * *

The sun was almost out of view by the time Professor Oak had finished explaining everything to Green. For starters, he received his Trainer Card, which Red and Blue would be getting later. The whole thing was digital. It displayed the badges you had earned, if you chose to collect badges, while also keeping track of things like your ID Number and current amount of Poké Dollars. When you win any kind of battle, the card totals up your winnings automatically, then you could use it to pay for just about anything. Green didn't try to understand how it worked, as it would probably just give him a headache.

Professor Oak also gave him a few necessary supplies. He now had five Poké Balls, a few potions, and a map, all of which were shoved into a plastic bag. The professor linked Green's Pokédex to his computer so that he'd know where the young trainer was at all times, in case he ever had to contact him.

With all of that out of the way, Green was ready to go. He thanked the professor for everything and left the lab. He hadn't even made it three steps when he heard Red shout, "Green, look out!"

But he wasn't fast enough. By the time he had turned his head to see what was the matter, a small spark of fire had hit him square in the face, knocking him back a few steps. His face burned a bit, but no physical damage was done. "What the hell," he muttered, rubbing his face.

Red quickly came running over to make sure he was okay. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! We didn't expect you to jump in like that."

Green was confused for a moment, then realized he had walked straight into her Pokémon battle with Blue. "Come on," she complained, standing several yards to Green's left, her Squirtle in a fighting stance before her. "We haven't got all day."

Glowering at her rival, Red barked, "Gimme a second!"

After Green and his Bulbasaur had gotten out of the way, the two girls continued to battle. Green sat down on the ground to watch. Blue's Squirtle should have definitely had the advantage type-wise, but Green wasn't sure if the young Pokémon knew any special attacks yet.

"Tackle!" ordered Blue, and her Squirtle charged forward at an alarming speed. You would never expect a turtle to be so nimble. Charmander barely made it out of the way. The poor thing was already looking exhausted.

"Fight back with Scratch!" Red commanded, and Charmander did as she was told. Claws drawn, she was about to land a devastating hit on her opponent when Blue intervened.

"Into your shell!"

Squirtle's head and limbs popped out of sight and Charmander's Scratch hit a rock solid shell. She winced in pain and grabbed her hand.

"That's it! Tackle, one more time!"

Squirtle got to his feet and charged forward with two large steps, ramming his head into Charmander's stomach. The fire Pokémon flew backward, landing at Red's feet. The girl was looking mortified. Blue's Squirtle was seriously powerful.

But Charmander got up. Or, started to at least, but she was in too much pain. She nearly fell over as she attempted to get to her feet, but she kept trying, eager to continue the battle.

"No. Stop," Red said, the sound of defeat in her voice. "You can't fight like this." Her Pokémon looked up at her apologetically, forcing Red to perk up a bit. "No, that's okay. You did the best you could! That's all that matters." Charmander forced a weak smile as Red pulled out her Poké Ball and said, "Return." She pressed the button and watched as Charmander disappeared into a cluster of red energy.

A slow clapping came from the other side of the battlefield. Blue was casually approaching her opponent, an obnoxious smirk on her face. Green quickly got up and ran to his friend's side, Bulbasaur right behind him.

"Looks like you just can't rise to my level, Red," she said, victory in her blue eyes. "I would just quit now if I were you. It's obvious you don't know how to raise a Pokémon."

Red said nothing. She clenched her fists and tried her best not to scream at the other girl. Green gulped and unexpectedly opened his mouth. "Raise a Pokémon? You got them only ten minutes ago. That wasn't skill just now, Blue. That was luck." Red looked at her friend thankfully, but Green immediately wished he hadn't said anything.

"What's that?" Blue demanded. "Well then, I guess you wouldn't mind battling me as well, huh?"

"What?" Green's face turned red, though he suspected it wouldn't be visible in the dim light. "Uh, well . . ." He looked around, deciding to leave the choice up to his Pokémon. "Bulbasaur?"

But the little guy wasn't about to have anything to do with Blue and her Squirtle. He shook his head, terrified thanks to the battle he had just witnessed. Green was relieved. He didn't want to battle Blue anyway.

Trainer and Pokémon alike laughed at this. "I wouldn't blame the thing. We _are_ pretty amazing, aren't we Squirtle?"

"Squirt!" he said in agreement.

"It's pretty late. I'd better go see if Gramps needs anything in the lab. You know, because I'm the only one fit to help him out." Green wanted so badly to brag about his Pokédex quest in that moment, but he kept his mouth shut. The professor would kill him if he blabbed this quickly. "Smell ya later, chumps." Blue smiled and returned Squirtle to his Poké Ball. With a toss of her hair, she strutted through the door of the lab and slammed it shut.

Green and Red stood there in silence for a moment before she said, "Thanks. That was really brave of you."

Smiling, Green said, "Don't worry about it. You two really did well, no matter what she says. You've gotta train. We all have to train if we want to be any good."

"You're right," Red agreed. "Beginner's luck and all that, right?"

"Right."

The two laughed. They were all beginners, after all. The battle could have easily gone either way. "Hey," Red continued. "It's still your birthday. You'd better go tell your mom what happened and everything. I bet you haven't even had cake yet!"

Green nodded and returned Bulbasaur to his Poké Ball. They proceeded to walk back to his house, discussing ways for Red to beat Blue's Squirtle.

"That Scratch was great and all, just watch out for his shell next time. It's hard as a rock."

"Got it."

* * *

The rest of the evening was spent celebrating at Green's house. Red came over to have some cake and the two informed his mom of all that was going on. Green waited until Red was in the bathroom to tell her about his Poké Dex, figuring he could trust his own mother.

"This is fantastic," she kept saying. "You know, your father was a trainer."

Green was glad he had Red there to explain the situation. He was afraid his mom would be hesitant about the idea, but then he realized Professor Oak had probably spoken to her about it beforehand. She insisted that the two got plenty of rest so they would be ready to take off as soon as they could.

Red decided to hang around and help Green pack. They both released their Pokémon and allowed them to play with each other in Green's room. He was surprised at how quickly Bulbasaur warmed up to Charmander. The two really seemed to like each other.

"What are you supposed to bring with you on an adventure?" Green thought aloud as he pulled out his gray and green backpack. He couldn't travel with too much, as he'd be walking a lot, but he couldn't pack too lightly either. He had to bring only what he needed.

"I've got an extra sleeping bag," Red suggested. "I can give that to you tomorrow."

"Alright," Green noted, trying to estimate how much space that would take up in his bag. "And I'll need clothes." He neatly folded a few shirts and another pair of jeans and stuffed them all into the backpack. The potions Professor Oak had given him would fit easily as well and he could attach his first six Poké Balls to his belt. He'd keep his Pokédex and Trainer Card in his pocket, so that wasn't an issue.

It didn't take the two long to get everything together. When they had finished, Green set his backpack down by his door and both he and Red collapsed onto his bed. According to his watch, it was almost ten. Green knew he had to get some sleep, but he was too excited. There was no way he'd be able to close his eyes anytime soon.

"So, what are you gonna do?" Red asked.

"Huh?"

"Well, you know. I'm gonna challenge the gyms. Maybe try for the next Pokémon League if I qualify by then. I figure Blue'll do the same thing. What about you?"

Green laughed. Red certainly had high hopes. She had only received her Charmander a few hours before and she was already planning for the Pokémon League.

"I don't know," Green admitted. "I'll probably just, you know, tag along. Study a whole ton of Pokémon. That's all I really wanna do."

This was true. He had no particular interest in the gyms. Of course he'd be there to cheer Red on, but his task was to complete the Pokédex. That's what his mind was set on.

"You think we're actually gonna travel in a group?" Red continued. She rolled over on her side and propped her head up with her arm. "All _three_ of us?"

Shrugging, Green said, "Probably not. You really think Blue wants to hang out with us more than she has to?" It was obvious that Oak had assumed the kids would adventure with each other. He probably didn't know about the rivalry between the three. Green had no issue travelling with Red, but Blue? He would rather throw himself off a building.

"Yeah, not at all," Red agreed. "I bet you ten bucks she'll ditch us before we've even been gone five minutes."

"Probably," Green said with a chuckle.

For a while, the two sat there without saying anything. The night grew even darker as the hands on Green's watch spun slowly. It didn't seem right for Red to leave, but she had to eventually.

"I'd better go pack, myself," she finally said, sliding off of Green's bed. "Get some sleep, okay? I wanna be out of here bright and early tomorrow morning."

Green smiled. "Got it."

"Come on, Charmander." Red drew her Poké Ball, but stopped before she pressed the button. "Oh my gosh," she giggled. "Look at this! Isn't that adorable?" She waved for Green to get up, and he did. He looked toward his closet and saw the two Pokémon fast asleep, cuddled up on one of Green's jackets. Charmander had her head leaned against Bulbasaur's bud, using it as a pillow.

Shaking her head, Red said, "I can't ruin this moment. You think she could stay here for the night?"

"Of course!" Green agreed. "She'll be back to you in the morning."

"Awesome." Red threw her arms around Green and smiled. "I can't wait for tomorrow. It's gonna be great."

Green took a step back, not expecting to be hugged, but he eventually smiled and returned the gesture. "Me either." He placed his hands on her shoulders and gently pushed her back. "But we've got to sleep before anything. Go get packed."

"Alright, alright," Red whined. She went to the door and took one last look at the Pokémon. "See you tomorrow," she said with a smile. With that, she gently closed the bedroom door.

Green wasted no time getting in bed. The faster he went to sleep, the faster he could start his journey. He placed his Pokédex carefully on his nightstand and fell back into his pillow. With the light turned off, he fell asleep to the faint glow of Charmander's tail and the steady breathing of two content Pokémon.

* * *

**A/N:** Sort of a short chapter, I know, but whatever it takes to move the story along.

So Blue's Squirtle. She _would_ get the toughest of the three, wouldn't she? But now it's time for the trio to start their adventure! What do you think? Are they actually gonna travel together or is Blue gonna be _that_ person and take off on her own? Let me know what you think in the reviews!

Peace out,

- Connor


	3. And the Journey Begins

**And the Journey Begins**

* * *

Green was up and moving even before his alarm. "Come on, guys!" he shouted. Charmander and Bulbasaur shot up, having been sound asleep before he had spoken. As Green darted around his room, gathering everything he would need for the day, the two Pokémon watched silently from their corner by the door. Bulbasaur was beginning to think his trainer was insane.

With his backpack over his shoulders and his Pokédex in his back pocket, Green was ready. He grinned, looking at his room one last time, then ushered the Pokémon out the door. They followed him downstairs where he threw two pieces of bread in the toaster and chugged a glass of orange juice.

While he was stuffing his face, his mother came into the room and smiled. She wore a proud expression. Sure, she was going to miss her son, but he was finally getting out into the world. She couldn't wait to see where his journey would take him.

Realizing he was being watched, Green mumbled, between bites of his toast, "Come on mom, we've gotta get going!"

"Relax, Green," she said, trying to calm him down. "The world will still be waiting for you to explore it when you're done your breakfast."

"No time! Come on, guys!" He ran out the door, Bulbasaur and Charmander close on his heels. His mother sighed and followed as well.

Red burst through her front door, which was visible from Green's porch, at about the same time. They both had a mouth full of food and adventure in their eyes. At the sight of her trainer, Charmander squeaked and hurried toward her. The two kids met at the halfway point between their houses, as they usually did, and swallowed their food.

"You ready?" Red asked.

"You bet," Green answered.

The two turned toward the path that led straight through Pallet and followed it to the edge of the town. Upon arriving, they noticed that there was already a group of people gathered. _They must be here to see us off,_ Green thought.

And indeed, they were. At the sight of Green and Red, the crowd cheered, applause filling the otherwise quiet atmosphere of Pallet Town. They made their way to the front of the cluster, people patting them on their backs and wishing them luck as they went.

Blue had arrived before them, and as usual, had to brag about it. "What took you two so long?" she boasted. "I was here at the crack of dawn. To be a good trainer, you always have to be on top of things. You have to -"

"Oh, pipe down, Blue," said a familiar voice. It was Professor Oak, who was standing off to the side. "There's nothing wrong with these two wanting to get a bit more rest before departing."

Blue looked away dejectedly and went to speak with one of the many guys she had fawning over her. The professor stayed to speak with the two, giving Red her Trainer Card and the same supplies he had given Green the day before, save the Pokédex, of course.

"That reminds me!" Red remembered, pulling some sort of bundle out of her bag, which had a single strap and fell to her hip. "Your sleeping bag!"

"Right." Green took the sleeping bag from her and tried to squeeze it into his backpack while the professor finished explaining everything to Red.

"And that's about all there is," he said when he had finished. "The only other thing for you to do is get out there and see what the world has to offer you!" Professor Oak wore a knowing smile that comforted the two trainers. If they had any sort of nerves beforehand, they vanished after speaking with him.

Green, Red, and Blue were then ushered to the very edge of town. Each said goodbye to their family before taking their first steps into the wild. Green turned around and waved to his mother one last time. As they put distance between themselves and the town of Pallet, they heard the various encouraging shouts of, "Don't get lost!" and "Stick together!"

The trio walked in silence for the first few minutes of their journey. It wasn't until their hometown was completely out of sight that Blue spoke up.

"Well," she concluded, turning to face the others. "I guess I'll see you two around."

Red rolled her eyes and inquired, "And where exactly do you expect to go?"

"Pewter City. Duh." Green and Red looked at each other, trying to decide what was so obvious about heading to Pewter City. "Don't you two know anything?" Blue continued. "That's where the nearest gym is. Well, unless you count Viridian City's, but I doubt any of us could handle that one yet. Whatever, I'm sure you two'll figure something out. Or not. Doesn't make a difference to me. Later!" She winked obnoxiously and took off, leaving Green and Red behind her.

The others were silent for a moment before Red said, "You owe me ten bucks."

At this, they both began to laugh. "Good riddance, I say," Green added. "I'm glad we won't have to put up with her this whole time, anyway."

Red agreed. When the two had settled down, she made her way over to a nearby sign and read aloud, "'Route 1.' So according to the map we're . . . here." She had pulled out the map that was just given to her by Professor Oak and pointed to it. Green hurried over and looked at where her finger was. "So Pewter City would be . . . right up here. Past the Viridian Forest." She looked at Green with a shrug. "You know, Blue might have the right idea. That seems like a pretty easy place to get to. And I can earn my first gym badge!"

Green smiled. "And I bet there's tons of Pokémon in that forest just waiting to be observed."

Red laughed. "You're such a dork." She closed the map and began to jog toward Viridian City, Green rushing to catch up with her.

"Hey! I am not. I just have an appreciation for the anatomical studies of Pokémon!"

* * *

"Alright Charmander, Ember!"

Charmander obeyed and a ball of flames shot from her mouth, striking an agitated Rattata in the side. The wild Pokémon was sent flying into a nearby bush. It stumbled out, dazed from the hit, when Red issued another attack.

"Great! Finish it with Scratch!"

And Charmander, again, did as she was told. One swipe of her talons and the Rattata was finished. Red cheered in triumph as her Pokémon ran to her, ecstatic to have pleased her trainer. While Red wasn't paying attention, Green slipped his Pokédex out of his pocket and pointed it at the fainted Rattata. "Rattata," it said in a robotic voice. "The mouse Pokémon. It bites anything when it attacks. It is small and very quick. It is a common sight in most places." Green quickly placed his Pokédex back in his pocket. It was difficult trying to gather information for Professor Oak without Red knowing.

"She's really getting better at this," Green commented. He and Bulbasaur sat on the nearby ground, Green with a notebook and pen. He had been furiously taking notes about Charmander's growth. Bulbasaur kept trying to see what he was writing, but he wasn't big enough to see over the notebook.

"You think so?" Red said hopefully. She came over and sat down next to her friend, trying to make sense of his insensible scribbling. "Aren't you going to train Bulbasaur? You haven't battled with him once, yet."

Green glanced over at his Pokémon, who was now running around with Charmander. He shook his head. "I don't think so. Not yet, at least. He doesn't seem very interested in battling."

"Well, you've got to at some point." Red took a bottle of water out of her bag and took a large gulp. She took note of the setting sun and said, "I never knew Route 1 was so long. Do you think we'll make it to Viridian today?"

Green shrugged. "Well, we wouldn't be taking this long if you didn't have to stop and battle every Pokémon in sight."

"How else do you expect me to get better?" she asked. "Besides, Charmander seems happy to be winning a few battles. After her fight with Squirtle, she was looking a little defeated."

At the mention of the third Pallet Town trainer, Green came to a sudden realization. "You know," he said. "At the pace Blue was going, she's probably reached Viridian by now. She might already be in the forest."

Red's eyes widened as the two looked at each other. "You're right."

There was a pause before they both hastily gathered their things and called out to their Pokémon. "Come on!" Red shouted. "We can't let her get too far ahead! She'll start thinking she's better than us! Viridian should be right along this path, it can't be far!"

The group ran along the dirt path laid out for them. Red took a large lead, not willing to let her rival get the better of her, while Green ran several yards behind, both Pokémon panting at his side.

It wasn't long before the first building came into view. A bit more running and several more became visible. "That's it!" Green and Red said in unison. They slowed their pace to a brisk walk and finally, they were in Viridian City. Being late evening, the city was calm. Most people had returned to their homes for a good night's sleep. The few citizens that were out and about seemed friendly enough and smiled when Green and Red passed.

The two trainers returned their Pokémon to their Poké Balls and located the city's Pokémon Center, aware that these places usually served as overnight homes to passing trainers. Both kids grinned, relieved that they wouldn't have to spend their first night on their own in the wilderness. After exchanging a satisfied look, the two pushed open the doors to the center and disappeared inside.

* * *

**A/N:** Kind of a boring chapter, I know. But I've got exciting plans for the next one, where they'll be exploring the Viridian Forest! Thanks for reading and let me know what you think in the reviews!

Until next time,

- Connor


End file.
